Re: How far and how fast can radioactive fallout travel in oceans?

Hi,

I'm not an expert on the oceanography of Bikini Atoll (you can find lots of information here), but I can give you general answers. The ocean is pretty efficient at mixing and diffusing radiation (or any contamination) such that it falls below dangerous levels in years (as opposed to decades or even centuries on land). Of course, this is only true for a burst of contamination (like an atomic bomb going off). If there is a constant stream of contamination, the source will balance out with the diffusion to maintain a steady concentration that could be dangerous. Also, the strength of ocean currents and the attendant mixing vary quite a bit from place to place. Chances are, given the relatively large distances between groups of islands in the Pacific, that the radiation from Bikini Atoll was diluted to safe levels before it arrived. All the islands near Bikini Atoll were subject to fallout from the blast (see Wikipedia) but it was wind, not ocean currents that brought the radiation there.

Cheers,
Tetjana